Girls stepping away from playing outdoors by age 8 is of concern and Dirt Is Good (Persil) teams up with Arsenal Women to get girls playing outside again
- New research shows girls in the UK are disengaging from outdoor play by the age of eight, missing out on the confidence and joy that comes from unstructured play
- Nearly six in ten UK parents (58%) played outside regularly as children, compared with just one in three girls today (33%)
- In response, Dirt Is Good has partnered with Arsenal Women to encourage girls to rediscover free, unstructured outdoor play
- Dirt Is Good share never-before-seen photos of Arsenal Women players as children playing outside, showing that a love of movement often starts long before organised sport
On average, UK parents say their daughter began losing interest in regularly playing freely outdoors at just eight years old, with nearly one in five disengaging between the ages of seven and eight, and one in ten girls never regularly playing outside at all.
Sport England has also identified a gender gap in outdoor activity, with girls 22% less likely than boys to be active outdoors outside of school – a gap that begins in primary school and persists across regions.
Parents want their daughters to experience those same benefits. More than half of parents (54%) say their daughter would rather be inside than outside, even when given the opportunity to play outdoors, while 58% worry about a potential growing gender gap in children’s outdoor play which could impact how boys and girls engage, experience and benefit from confidently playing outdoors. More than one in five girls also say they avoid outdoor play because they don’t like getting dirty, compared with 14% of boys, highlighting how negative misconceptions towards playing outside can form early and cause them to disengage.
Arsenal Women join the campaign to get girls playing outdoors
Players including Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead are reflecting on their own childhoods as part of the campaign, sharing nostalgic memories of playing freely outside long before organised training or competition. Their stories highlight that a love of sport often begins away from the pitch, through everyday outdoor play that allows children to move freely, experiment and have fun.
Billie Graham, Women and Girls Football Development Coordinator at Arsenal in the Community, said: “We’re passionate about creating opportunities and access into football for women and young girls through safe spaces and fun environments for them to thrive. So many journeys begin with the hours spent getting out and playing freely, inspired by role models like Alessia, Chloe, Beth or any one of our women’s players. We hope to continue breaking down barriers for young girls stepping into the game for the first time.”
Dirt Is Good (Persil) want to inspire young girls to inspire them to play freely outside
As part of the partnership, Dirt Is Good and Arsenal Women are engaging directly with young girls to inspire them to play freely outside. This includes working with primary schools to share practical tips with parents, inviting them to witness the campaign role models in person at the Emirates during Arsenal Women games, and creating opportunities for girls to experience the joy of play.
Dirt Is Good Masterbrand Director, Saffron Inkster said: “This research highlights the growing gap between the outdoor childhoods many parents remember and the reality for too many girls today. Free, unstructured play outside builds confidence, curiosity and resilience – yet girls are stepping away from it far too early. Through It Starts Outside, we want to challenge that shift and remind families that getting outside, getting stuck in and getting dirty can be the beginning of a lifetime of confidence and self?belief.”
Parents Nws UK has a feature on Girls Football
